Banning over-the-counter sales would cut meth labs, they say

Apr. 3, 2013

Cindy Rushefsky

Written by

Doug Burlison

Jeff Seifried

City leaders took a substantial step Tuesday toward requiring a prescription for pseudoephedrine in Springfield.

A City Council committee unanimously recommended the city adopt the prescription requirement in an effort to curb meth labs, and related activities, in the city.

During a noon meeting, five council members voiced support for the ordinance, indicating the proposal already has enough support to pass.

A dissenter, Councilman Doug Burlison, attended Tuesday’s committee meeting and characterized his fellow council members as “marching down the wrong path.”

Burlison believes the restriction would unduly burden citizens.

“I predict it’s not going to sit too well with folks. It doesn’t sit too well with me,” he said.

Councilman Jeff Seifried, who introduced the legislation, said something must be done to reduce meth labs in the city. Seifried, citing law enforcement officers who strongly support the measure, believes banning over-the-counter pseudoephedrine could also have an impact on reducing property crime and other meth-related issues.

“I don’t think law enforcement have been lying to our faces,” Seifried said.

The proposal would restrict all forms of pseudoephedrine except for a very narrow exemption in the case of medicine that resists manufacturing. It is not clear if any current product on the market would actually be exempted.

Committee members considered exemptions for gel and liquid forms of pseudoephedrine, as well as combination drugs like Zyrtec-D and Claritin-D. But, members decided on the more strict ordinance at the urging of Springfield Police Chief Paul Williams.

Williams said including broad exemptions would be a “halfhearted approach,” as meth cooks might find ways to alter their recipes.

Councilman John Rush hoped to include the exemptions but said, “I’m reluctant to go against law enforcement.”

“This problem is so serious we ought to do something to make it work.”

Rush and councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky also noted public health concerns — that meth houses are being contaminated during meth manufacturing and not being properly cleaned.

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Rushefsky warned committee members that monied interests are already attempting to influence the discussion in Springfield. She reported receiving calls from senior citizens who have been misled by out-of-state robocalls.

Seifried noted Springfield and Missouri consistently report high numbers of meth labs relative to the rest of the country.

“We are winning the wrong race in Springfield.”

Background

For months, members of the Community Involvement Committee studied the prescription requirement idea.

Oregon, Mississippi and 70 Missouri communities have enacted prescription-only laws, and many report significant declines in meth labs. In Oregon, especially, officials claim the law has reduced the overall rate of crime.

Physicians, pharmacists, top law enforcement officers, industry representatives and others have made their respective cases to Springfield council members.

Among the strongest advocates of the prescription requirement were Springfield police who said meth labs pose a significant danger to officers, kids and the community. Labs are also expensive to clean up and a drain on department staff and resources, they said.

During one committee meeting, Family Pharmacy owner Lynn Morris said he believed pseudoephedrine would become more expensive if a prescription is required. He said reducing the legal limit a person can buy is a better action for the city to take.

Gary Grove, owner of Grove Pharmacy, supported the requirement and said a different decongestant, phenylephrine, can be purchased over the counter as an alternative and is nearly as effective.

Two Springfield doctors told committee members they supported tighter controls on pseudoephedrine and that only a relatively small number of people who suffer chronic sinus problems would be significantly affected by a prescription requirement. Both said a doctor’s visit would likely be necessary to get a prescription for pseudoephedrine — maybe not every time, but probably the first time.

Jim Moody, who lobbies in Jefferson City on behalf of over-the-counter drug makers, urged council members to “strike a balance” — attempt to deal with the labs but without too much inconvenience to law-abiding citizens.

Any solution, Moody said, should be made at the state level, and there is very little support there for a statewide prescription requirement.

Currently, pseudoephedrine is kept behind the pharmacy counter, and all sales are tracked using a statewide database. Anyone buying the popular sinus medicine must show an ID and can be denied sale if they exceed a daily or monthly limit.

Supporters of restrictions say the current system has proven ineffective in stopping meth manufacturing.

City Clerk Brenda Cirtin said council is expected to take up the proposal with a first reading in late April or early May.